Monthly Archives: June 2010

With their debut album, Acid Washed; the mysterious duo from Paris, give French electro a much needed psycadelic kick up the back side rendering the genre hypercool once again. Their sound can best be described as late nineties acid house, with allusions to american techno (from detroit and chicago ,) infused with cosmic melody and bouncing beats.

The Black Strobe Remix of “General Motors, Detroit, America is one of the best tunes that I’ve heard so far this summer :

If you like what you hear, here is a link to Hot Natured’s myspace http://www.myspace.com/hotnatured I like their self summary : A sunny and modern take on some classic and future classic music, with the party always in mind.

This is something I’m working on at the moment. Its an investigation into the Utopic and its dual existence in the mind as a fantastic/ idealistic principle and also as a physical and intentional reality achievable through art. The idea is that when it is complete my Emerald City will provide viewers with an aesthetic haven; an idealized visual space that will invoke calm and act as a psychological refuge. There is also a large element of voyeurism involved, a city of this scale as viewed only from the afar catalyses a strong element of curiosity within the viewer through implication of a complex network of living within. Resultantly the architecture becomes alluring and suggestive of a mysterious cycle of perpetual and idealistic life; civilization, social structure & human relationships.

Rarely do I watch a movie for the first time..and follow it up by watching all over again. Yes, its true that until last week I had never seen Spinal Tap something which, having seen it now twice, I can safely say was one of the greatest errors I have ever made. If I wasn’t at work, and listening to LCD SOundsystem right now, I would be heavily involving myself with some Spinal Tap.

3. Ebay

I’m slightly slow when it comes to all things technological so I know I’m saying nothing new here but…Ebay is WOW.

However…this is my least favourite addiction because it COSTS big bucks when I let it get out of control. The thing is when you can get stuff like Opening Ceremony shirts for £20 its too seductive for me and I can’t resist. Suddenly Chanel and Chole…are affordable and its all too much for me to take. It’s all about the thrill of the hunt and the delight of the spontaneous purchase. If one day I decide say, that I want a Roxy Music T-SHirt (today) then BAM….its mine by Friday. Plus getting packages sent to myself at work is fun and exciting. Shoes, I would advise, are not a good thing to dally with on ebay. I bought a pair of vintage brown chelsea boots that looked awesome in the little photo however, when they arrived and I actually put them on, I looked like part of the gestapo.

4. Stripes

my new dress

There is something about striped clothing. The amount of times that I have gone into a store with no intention of buying anything, and come out with a navy and white stripped top, are becoming a joke. Yes there are variations on the theme; some have long sleeves, some short. Some are tight and some baggy. Sometimes the stripes are thin and close together, sometimes they are fat and far apart, but at the end of the day, they are essentially all still navy and white stripped t-shirts. On the weekend I did something major and digressed from the formula that I have become so comfortable with to buy a stripped dress from twenty8twelve that is actually red (they call it papaya) and navy striped. At least my stupidly large and continuously growing pile of stripy items is becoming more diverse in colour.

5. Jack Kerouc’s On The Road –

“It changed my life like it changed everyone elses” – Bob Dylan

I’m reading it again. Poetic quotations are endless. Picturesque paragraphs of mesmerizing landscape descriptions. Of course at the time it was published, On The Road was groundbreaking in its presentation of an alternative philosophy: the anti- dream. A departure from what Kerouac considered to be the sickeningly banal and restrictive American ideal of a white-picket fence, solid job and 2.4 children. A dream that promised prosperity, life and liberty but in reality delivered an unobstructed path to certain mediocrity.

Keroac’s “road” was a drastic departure from mediocrity, a spontaneous path to adventures untold, weird and wonderful characters, love, drugs, creativity. This was the book through which Bohemian thought and lifestyle was propelled into mainstream consciousness. In his presentation of this alternative existence through an academic vehicle; one of profound literary content, Kerouac was able to transform the reputation of what had previously been judged and misunderstood as life of the “bum” traveller and recommunicate it as, as viable an existence as any other.

Fifty years on we inhabit a society where many of us live our lives governed by insecurities derived from the pressure of expectation. “Normality,”is the ultimate status. We care and fear what other people think and act accordingly. This book is liberating. It celebrates otherness and proposes a thirst for life’s highs and lows, an appreciation of the instance, human interaction, experience and all that the world has to offer.

6. Bags

My new bag

Although I can undoubtedly appreciate a good heel, perhaps because it’s because I am tall, or maybe it’s because the occasions when I can be bothered to wear heels are rarities, but I find myself to be more of a bag lady (in the literal, not the Erykah Badu sense of the term.) Im pretty proud of my bag collection, lucky for me I have only brothers and mother who like me is into handbags and can help me feed my addiction..sweeet. My latest addition is a paisley mini-satchel from Etro’s SS 2010 collection, very cute and summery.

7. Watermelon

Have you ever tried smashing a watermelon? Smashing watermelons triggers an internal Epinephrine release (a.k.a adrenaline release) throughout the body. This increases heart rate and has a tendency to induce euphoria which helps to diminish anxiety and depression. It tastes pretty good too. Nutritious, delicious and exceedingly refreshing.

My Special Watermelon Shake Recipe

Ingredients :

1 watermelon

ice

drinking vessels

Take your watermelon and smash it on the floor. Indoors if you can be bothered to clean up after it, outdoors of you can’t. If you like me are a believer in “The Five Second Rule,” gather all of the pieces from the floor in under 5 seconds and put them in a large bowl. De-seed if you can really be arsed ( a watermelon tree won’t grow in your stomach if you don’t) and thow all of the delicious juicy flesh into a blender with plenty of crushed ice. Blend until smooth if you like things smooth and lumpy if you like things lumpy. Pour into a drinking vessel of choice, alchies add a dash of vodka first and there you have it. My special watermalon shake, the perfect summer refreshment mmmmmmmm.